Q1. Here are some false statements. Identify the mistake in each case and rewrite these correctly based on what you have read in this chapter.
(a) Leaders of the freedom movement had an open mind about whether the country should be democratic or not after independence.

Ans. – (b) Members of the Constituent Assembly of India did not have the same views on all provisions of the Constitution. However, they held the same views on the basic principles of the Constitution.

Q2. Which of these was the most salient underlying conflict in the making of a democratic constitution in South Africa?
(a) Between South Africa and its neighbors.
(b) Between men and women.
(c) Between the white majority and the black minority.
(d) Between the coloured minority and the black majority.

Q3. Which of these is a provision that a democratic constitution does not have?
(a) Powers of the head of the state.
(b) Name of the head of the state.
(c) Powers of the legislature.
(d) Name of the country.

Q4. Match the following leaders with their roles in the making of the Constitution:
(a) Motilal Nehru (i) President of the Constituent Assembly
(b) B.R. Ambedkar (ii) Member of the Constituent Assembly
(c) Rajendra Prasad (iii) Chairman of the Drafting Committe
(d) Sarojini Naidu (iv) Prepared a Constitution for India in 1928

Ans. – (a) Nehru used the expression ‘not wholly or in full measure’ because according to him the task undertaken was not complete and the pledges could not be fulfilled in a day or two but they would be fulfilled one by one.

(b) What pledge did he want the makers of the Indian Constitution to take?

Q6. Here are some of the guiding values of the Constitution and their meaning. Rewrite them by matching them correctly.
(a) Sovereign (i) Government will not favour any religion
(b) Republic (ii) People have the supreme right to make decisions.
(c) Fraternity (iii) Head of the state is an elected person
(d) Secular (iv) People should live like brothers and sisters

Ans. (a) Sovereign (ii) People have the supreme right to make decisions
(b) Republic (iii) Head of the state is an elected person
(c) Fraternity (iv) People should live like brothers and sisters
(d) Secular (i) Government will not favour any religion

Q7. A friend from Nepal has written you a letter describing the political situation there. Many political parties are opposing the rule of the king. Some of them say that the existing constitution given by the monarch can be amended to allow more powers to elected representatives. Others are demanding a new Constituent Assembly to write a republican constitution. Reply to your friend giving your opinions on the subject.

Ans. Dear Friend
I take side of the people who are demanding a new Constituent Assembly to write a republican constitution because this is the only way to end the monarchy in Nepal. Democracy is expanding fast across the whole world and therefore Nepal too should be a democratic country. Democracy gives people the freedom to live in their own way and to express their opinions and views. It is the best way of governance. Hence, it should be established strongly in each and every country.
Yours Akash.

Q8. Here are different opinions about what made India a democracy. How much importance would you give to each of these factors?
(a) Democracy in India is a gift of the British rulers. We received training to work with representative legislative institutions under the British rule.
(b) Freedom struggle challenged the colonial exploitation and denial of different freedoms to Indians. Free India could not be anything but democratic.
(c) We were lucky to have leaders who had democratic convictions. The denial of democracy in several other newly independent countries shows the important role of these leaders.

Ans. I would like to give equal importance to each of the above factors. It is true that the Britishers inspired the Indian leaders to opt for democracy as it is mentioned in the first factor. The second factor brought all sections of the people of India together and the third factor emphasises that all our leaders believed in democratic values and they shaped the Indian democracy in such a way that it became a model for the entire world in due course of time.

Q9. Read the following extract from a conduct book for ‘married women, published in 1912. ‘God has made the female species delicate and fragile both physically and emotionally, pitiably incapable of self-defence. They are destined thus by God to remain in male protection – of father, husband and son – all their lives. Women should, therefore, not despair, but feel obliged that they can dedicate themselves to the service of men’. Do you think the values expressed in this para reflected the values underlying our constitution? Or does this go against the constitutional values?

Ans. The above para goes against the constitutional values. Here it is worthmentioning that our constitution gives equal importance to both man and woman. Equality is the basic value of our Constitution. It emphasizes that no one can be discriminated on the basis of caste, colour or gender. All are equal before the law. Women are as important as men. There should not be any discrimination between them. They should be treated equally and should be given equal status.

Q10. Read the following statements about a constitution. Give reasons why each of these is true or not true.
(a) The authority of the rules of the constitution is the same as that of any other law.

Ans – (a) It is not true. A Constitution is the supreme law of a country and it can’t be amended so easily. If amendments are necessary, a special procedure is adopted. On the other hand, an ordinary law, which the parliament passes, can be changed any time.

(b) Constitution lays down how different organs of the government will be formed.

Ans – (b) It is true that a Constitution lays down the framework for the formation of the government. It makes clear how the government will be formed and what will be the functions of its different organs—the executive, the legislative and the judiciary.

(c) Rights of citizens and limits on the power of the government are laid down in the constitution.

Ans – (d) It is not true because a Constitution is as much about values as it is about institutions such as the executive, the legislative and the judiciary. So, if we say a constitution is only about institutions and not about values, we are wrong.